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Chicken And Coriander Roulade With Turmeric And Almonds

I realised a couple of nights ago that I have cooked seafood dishes all week-long. Not that we did not enjoy them but I thought a break from seafood would be nice so I made something different for dinner. A bit different that I was not quite sure what type of cuisine was this really. I found the recipe from one of my chicken cookbooks. Chicken and coriander roulade with turmeric and almond sauce.The use of turmeric, coriander and almonds made me think of a Middle Eastern dish. Perhaps Turkish or Persian? I served it with a buttered pasta side dish, which actually worked but I was thinking maybe next time, I can serve it with something that is more authentic to Middle Eastern cuisine. Please feel free to educate me on this one. Suggestions are welcome and would be appreciated.

1. Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board, putting a hand flat on top to gently hold the meat in place. Slice into the side of each breast until you have cut two-thirds across, then open the breast like a book. Alternatively, you can flatten the breast fillets very gently with a meat mallet or a rolling-pin just as you would when preparing a schnitzel. Place a layer of coriander on top of each breast and season with salt and pepper.2. Roll up the breasts from the bottom to enclose the coriander and secure rolls with string.3. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-based casserole over high heat. When very hot, add the chicken rolls and brown quickly on all sides.4. Remove the chicken from the pan, pour off the oil and add the turmeric. Return the chicken rolls to the pan and shake until they are well coated with turmeric.5. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the almonds, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the rolls have cooked through.6. Remove the rolls from the liquid, cover to prevent from drying out and leave in a warm place. Strain the cooking liquid, reserving the 100-150 ml. Place the almonds in a blender or food processor, add 100 ml of the cooking liquid and purée until smooth. Gradually add more of the liquid and process until the sauce has a flowing consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.7. Remove the string and cut across the chicken rolls into serving slices. 8. Arrange the slices on a hot plate and pour some sauce around. Garnish with coriander leaves to serve if desired.

I loved how lovely looking and moist these rolls were when I sliced them into serving portions. The almond purée was such a lovely sauce and surprisingly, was good with the buttered pasta side dish.

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7 thoughts on “Chicken And Coriander Roulade With Turmeric And Almonds”

If you want to go the MiddleEastern route, why not pair it with couscous? I often add pinenuts, zest, and herbs to it. Or you could kick it up with dry currants, or mandarin orange segments, etc. for more zing.
If you liked the buttery quality of the pasta side, you might prefer Israeli couscous, with its pearly texture.
Or you could add a side of Morroccan-spiced lentils (in this case, maybe just serve the roulade with a little bit of the almond sauce on top of each piece). Usually, if I am going to serve a comfort-food dish, I would want something brighter and/or spicier to accompany it.

Thanks for the suggestions. I like the idea of some lemon zest and pine nuts. I thought about the couscous but didn’t do it thinking it will be too mushy with the almond sauce. But you are right about the pearl couscous…I completely forgot about that one. I have had Israeli couscous before and yes, that will work well with this dish. Thanks again! :)